Tina Turner's Final Public Appearance Was a Fitting Tribute to Herself

The singer died on Wednesday at age 83.

Tina Turner's final public appearance was one to remember. The iconic singer, who died on Wednesday at age 83, last stepped out in public in November 2019 to attend the opening of the Broadway bio-musicalTina: The Tina Turner Musical, at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in New York City. 

"This musical is my life, but it's like poison that turned into medicine," the singer told the crowd, which included stars like Oprah Winfrey and Tiffany Haddish, during her surprise curtain call appearance. "I can never be as happy as I am now."

She also praised the musical's star, Adrienne Warren, saying, "Thank God for her."

Tina, which chronicles Turner's journey from the humble beginnings in Nutbush, Tennessee, to her transformation into an icon as she dared to defy the bounds of her age, gender and race, first opened on the West End in 2018, before making its way to Broadway a year later.

Turner was vocal about her support for the show, even celebrating its five-year West End anniversary on Instagram earlier this year.

"Sending so much love to @tinathemusical," she wrote in April. "Proud of our wonderful show, and thrilled that we’re celebrating 5 years in the West End – long may it continue!"

While Turner's final public appearance came in 2019, she last posted a current photo to Instagram in March 2021. In that post, she was promoting TINA, the Max documentary about her life.

"I am so excited to share this movie with you -- seeing the concert scenes made me relive some of the proudest moments of my life," she wrote in part. "I simply had to sing along and dance around my living room!"

Turner's rep confirmed the Queen of Rock 'n' Roll's death on Wednesday, revealing that she died peacefully after a long illness in her home in Küsnacht near Zurich, Switzerland. Turner's verified Instagram account also posted a statement confirming the tragic news. 

"It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Tina Turner. With her music and her boundless passion for life, she enchanted millions of fans around the world and inspired the stars of tomorrow," the statement read. "Today we say goodbye to a dear friend who leaves us all her greatest work: her music. All our heartfelt compassion goes out to her family. Tina, we will miss you dearly."

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